Harry Potter and the Hostages of Voldemort
by Emperor Ferus
Summary: AU set during Year 7. What if Voldemort's thugs had actually taken the Dursleys hostage? Would Harry rescue them, and what would the outcome be?
1. chapter 1

**Harry Potter and the Hostages of Voldemort**

Takes place during Deathly Hallows, complies more to books. AU on a passage in Chapter 3, dialogue/words may not match

Wondering the Same Thing

 **July 1997**

Harry and Vernon's eyes met and in that moment they were both wondering the same thing. Would Harry rescue the Dursleys if Voldemort tried to use them to lure him into a trap?

Vernon knew as well as Harry did how he'd treated his nephew the past sixteen years, and while he still thought that his and Petunia's actions were justified, he understood that Harry would not agree. He'd never taken an interest to ask Harry more about his world, preferring to stay as connected to reality and sanity as possible. Yet now he wondered just how much he had to fear this Lord Voldything. Were he, Petunia, and Dudley really in that much danger?

 **1982**

"Mama!" two year old Dudley Dursley squeaked from his high chair, having finished his fourth bottle of milk.

Petunia was in the process of cleaning a plate over the sink, made dirty by Dudley's soup, yet she rushed over to her son with a new bottle, squirting it into his greedy little mouth.

Dudley, satisfied, licked his lips.

"Bless you, Diddykins," Petunia whispered.

A slightly smaller boy in the chair next to Dudley said, "Mama!", looking to Petunia expectantly.

Petunia glanced over at little Harry, who's lightning bolt shaped scar burned bright on his young forehead.

"No, I'm not your mother," Petunia said to the baby, harsh in tone.

Harry looked back at her in confusion. "Mama?"

"Your mother's dead," Petunia stared flatly, "and your father."

Harry stared at her, expressionless. Then his eyes crunched up and he began to wail.

"Mama! Dada! I want Mama and Dada!"

"They're dead, and that's that!" Petunia snapped at him. She picked him up under his armpits and hoisted the crying Harry out of his chair. She carried him out of the kitchen towards the staircase.

Holding Harry by one arm, Petunia opened the door to the cupboard under the stairs and placed the sobbing boy inside.

"No Mama," she whispered, and shut the door.

As Harry's screams echoed throughout Number Four, Privet Drive, Petunia took a long moment to compose herself before returning to Dudley.

 **March 1998**

The trio crouched down around the old radio in their bewitched tent, Ron waving his wand at it.

"Come on, you stupid bloody," he mumbled.

"Here, let me try," Hermione offered, raising her own wand. She waved it at the radio.

Harry heard static at first, then a very familiar voice.

"We've spotted several Death Eaters in the Muggle community of Little Whinging, Surrey," reported their old friend Remus Lupin, codenamed Romulus, "Their motives remain unclear for now, expect to continue their recreational terrorization of Muggles."

"Harry, isn't that where your aunt and uncle live?" Hermione asked, turning to him suddenly.

"I...yeah," he replied. He knew it was no coincidence, while the Death Eaters were nowhere near discovering their current location, they knew who he lived with during the summer holidays, and thought they could extort him that way. "They won't be there now though, Dedalus Diggle and Hestia Jones took them into hiding. I don't know where they are now."

 _I don't think you're a waste of space,_ Dudley had said last July before departing. Harry hadn't thought much about the Dursleys since they'd begun the quest to find the Horcruxes, yet he now remembered the pleasant surprise of hearing that from his cousin.

"Reckon they think you'll be there?" Ron said as Lee Jordan began talking about Hogwarts. "How thick can they get?"

At that moment, Harry felt an all too familiar pain up on his forehead. Grunting, he put his hand over his scar.

"Your scar hurts?" Hermione said in alarm, "Is he nearby?"

Harry closed his eyes, trying to will the ache away. The scene shifted and he was not with Ron and Hermione in the tent. He saw a cottage far away, up in the mountains.

"Ah, my good chap, I most thoroughly enjoyed our little outing," Dedalus Diggle was saying to Dudley as they hiked back up the hill to the cabin, each carrying a hunting rifle, "I've come to enjoy your Muggle ways."

On the porch, Petunia was silently knitting while Vernon was shut up in their bedroom. He'd hardly shown his face to Dedalus or Hestia since they'd arrived, having mixed feelings about their presence.

"Good day, Dudders?" Petunia asked him as they approached.

"Yeah, I was just showing Mr. Diggle how to shoot," Dudley replied, more somber than he'd have been a few years ago.

"That's a good boy," Petunia said, careful now not to call him by one of his childhood nicknames.

Suddenly, Hestia appeared on the lawn, looking panic stricken.

"I don't know how, but they've discovered us," she panted, "We'll have to move quickly."

Petunia stood immediately and rushed into the house. "Vernon! It's time to go!"

Her obese husband came huffing out onto the porch.

"What's the problem?"

By this time, several black columns of smoke were popping out of the trees, and while the Dursleys did not see what was going on, the two Order of the Phoenix members knew the danger all too well.

"Oh, Vernon," Petunia gasped, grasping her husband's arm. She was panting in fear, while Vernon raised his fists.

"We've dealt with that lot before," he growled, "they won't do anything expect try to grow our tongues or add a pig tail."

Dedalus and Hestia, both of whom now had their wands at the ready, turned to glare at Vernon.

"I'm not scared, Mom," Dudley assured her, patting his gun.

The smoky columns stopped in front of the lawn and several masked figures in black approached.

"Stupefy!" Hestia yelled, aiming her wand at the nearest Death Eater.

The Death Eater swatted aside her spell and yelled, "Avada Kedavra!"

Hestia cried out as a jet of green light came right at her and hit her in the chest. She crumbled lifeless to the grass.

"No!" Dedalus cried out, firing all the hexes he could at the Death Eaters. Dudley pulled the trigger of his gun at the same time.

The villainous invaders were able to deflect Dudley's shots with their wands, and Dudley flinched as the gun disintegrated in front of him.

"Avada Kedavra!" a female voice cried out, and Dedalus was dead too.

The Dursleys backed up against the porch, all three unable to hide their fear. A tall Death Eater approached them slowly, removing his mask.

"Greetings, Muggles," Yaxley said with false courtesy, "Hope you don't mind our little visit."


	2. Lair of Dark Magic

**Lair of Dark Magic**

His mind racing, Harry paced the tent, Ron and Hermione intently watching him. Finally, Ron asked, "Harry, do you realize that this is most definitely a trap?"

"Ron, of course he knows that," Hermione immediately chided, "he just doesn't know what to do about it."

Harry wheeled around on his heel to face them. "Will you two be quiet, I'm trying to think!"

The question in his mind had very little to do with whether he wanted to rescue the Dursleys. No, he had not forgotten the past seventeen years he'd spent living under their roof, or the time he'd spent running from Dudley's gang or Aunt Marge's dog.

He'd already rescued Dudley once before, from the dementors sent by Dolores Umbridge, at the expense of his already-damaged reputation at the Ministry of Magic. And that had been right after Dudley had taunted him about the nightmares he'd had that summer about Cedric Diggory's death, which he'd just witnessed at the hands of the Dark Lord himself.

The main dilemma in Harry's mind was whether a mission to rescue the Dursleys would interfere with the quest for Horcruxes. Was it worth allowing Voldemort to continue his reign of terror, delaying the inevitable battle to rescue the Dursleys? Perhaps, Harry realized, this was his plan, to divert Harry by striking where Voldemort thought it hurt the most.

But what if it was Ron, or Hermione? Especially Ginny. Harry would undoubtedly drop everything to save one of his friends, he told himself. Would he do the same for his relatives, who had kept him in the dark and made his existence miserable until he'd found out about Hogwarts?

"If you three would kindly step into the house," Yaxley ordered the three Dursleys, aiming his wand.

Vernon, Petunia and Dudley stepped backwards up the porch through the sliding glass door. The crowd of ten Death Eaters followed as Yaxley backed them into the small living room.

The woman next to Yaxley removed her mask to reveal the face of Bellatrix Lestrange.

"I shall take it from here," she said forcefully to her companions, "Torture is my area of expertise."

The other masked figures quickly backed away as Bellatrix approached the Dursleys. In a soft, dangerous voice, she commanded, "If all three of you would kneel down, we can get through this much easier."

Vernon took a step forward, Petunia clutching his shirt. "Now you listen here, woman," he snarled, "You people are all the same, thinking you can just barge onto other people's property. I don't know how your minds work but..."

"Silencio!"

Vernon's rant became mute as he shouted vainly. Unseen by his father and captors, Dudley reached out to squeeze his mother's hand in support, while doing his best to keep a brace face.

"Now, who wants to go first?" asked Bellatrix as she viciously circled the three. She gazed at Dudley calculatingly. "Oh, yes, Ickle Diddykins," she taunted, "Mummy won't want any harm to come to her little..."

"Don't you dare touch my son!" Petunia snapped, unable to stand it. She took a step towards Bellatrix, but the witch waved her wand and Petunia found her legs bound together.

"And now, let's begin," Bellatrix declared excitedly. She pointed her wand at Dudley and shouted, "Crucio!" A red light hit the large, blond boy and Dudley immediately began screaming in agony as he was forced down onto the floor.

Two other Death Eaters came up and each took hold of Vernon and Petunia as they watched their son tortured in front of them, unable to do anything to help.

"Stop, stop!" Dudley yelled, his face red and tears coming down his cheeks, "please!"

"Good boy," Bellatrix sweetly replied, "Now where's Potter?"

"I don't know!" Dudley begged, "Now please let us go!"

Vernon broke free of Dolohov's hold and charged.

"Crucio!" Dolohov yelled, and Vernon too was squirming in pain on the floor.

Petunia screeched and tried to run, but Avery likewise aimed the Cruciatus curse at her. Bellatrix cackled as the screams of the Dursleys rang throughout the house and surrounding area. Outside, more Death Eaters appeared from the trees, surrounding the house.

"Surely you have some idea where your precious Potty is," Bellatrix said, clearly growing impatient, "it's going to be killing next."

Vernon panted as he turned to Petunia. "I knew we never should have brought that boy into our lives! His parents had a nasty end, and now look at us."

Petunia wasn't listening. As the aches spread through her bony body, she gazed out at the landscape, her mind far away. For the first time, she wanted her nephew, the son of her dead sister, to come to them. Oh Harry, she thought, if we ever needed you, this is the time. Please, please have it in your heart.

Outside, although the patrolling Death Eaters saw nobody in front of them, the grass shifted as if invisible feet were walking on it.


	3. Bait and Quarry

**Bait and Quarry**

Vernon, and Petunia, and Dudley had all nearly screamed their lungs out. Panting for breath, the three Dursleys wheezed on the floor as the Cruciatus Curse's effects haunted their bones.

"We do not have all day, especially you Muggles. Your kind never learned to respect your superiors, and that is why you will pay."

She raised her wand and said, "Which of you will go first? Big beefy Vernon. Small, dainty Petunia. Or young baby angel Dudley. "

With renewed strength, Petunia sprang to her feet and came protectively in front of her large, panting son. "DON'T YOU DARE!"

"AVADA..."

"Reducto!"

A nearby table exploded, its pieces flying around at the nearby Death Eaters. They scattered for cover as Bellatrix's spell missed its target. Harry, Ron and Hermione threw off the Invisibility Cloak as the Death Eaters began to shout abuse.

"It's Potter!"

"Blood Traitor!"

"Mudblood!"

Vernon and Petunia both gaped in disbelief as the trio drew fire from the Death Eaters.

Bellatrix turned straight to Harry, forgetting the hostages in front of her.

"Hello again, baby potty!" she teased, "you gonna get me?"

She started running down the hallway, daring Harry to chase her. "I killed Sirius Black, come and get me!" she sang.

All else was wiped from Harry's mind as he began to pursue her. Elsewhere, Ron was barely managing Avery, Dolohov and Mulciber at once while Hermione dealt with Yaxley, Rookwood and Shunpike.

"Crucio!" Harry yelled as he swished his wand at Bellatrix.

"Protego!" she shouted back as she blocked the spell, "You've got to do better than that. Dumbledore would be disappointed in his favorite little baby."

"Stupefy!"

"Protego! You've got to mean it, Potty boy!"

"Diffindo!"

Bellatrix screamed as her dress tore, blood appearing on her leg. She staggered against the wall as Harry approached.

"You're going to pay for everything you've done," Harry seethed, trembling with uncontrollable rage. He knew Voldemort was getting inside him, but nothing was more important than justice to Sirius, and Dumbledore.

"See ya, Potter," Macnair said behind Harry. When he whipped around, Dudley had already knocked him out with a left hook.

"I got your back, Harry," he panted, "and thanks for coming."

"Don't mention..." Harry was cut off as Bellatrix got to her feet. He pulled Dudley away from a fatal curse as Bellatrix laughed, putting her hand to her other wrist.

Harry's scar hurt more than ever now. He knew what was next. As his friends burst into the hallway, a cloud of black smoke appeared.

"Harry, grab on!" Hermione urged desperately, reaching out to Harry.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Bellatrix aimed her curse at Hermione and she was frozen.

"No!" Ron cried as he thundered into the hallway, followed by the Dursleys. He narrowly missed a hex from Bellatrix's wand and bent over to lift up Hermione.

Petunia wailed aimlessly as Harry blocked Bellatrix's next curse, and Ron applied the counter curse to Hermione's body-bound state.

A second later, Hermione was back on her feet, hurling all the spells she could muster at Bellatrix along with Harry and Ron.

"I know where to go!" Ron yelled as he avoided Bellatrix's would be fatal spell streaking towards him, the Dursleys ducking for cover behind him, "Harry, Hermione, hold on!" He outstretched his hand to Hermione, who cast a shield charm between herself, the others and Bellatrix.

Harry seized Hermione's other hand and reached out to Dudley.

"Take my hand!" he shouted as he sent a silent spell towards Bellatrix, "Trust me!"

Dudley paused, then seized Harry's hand in a grip that made him cringe. "Mum, hold on!"

Petunia held Dudley's hand and Vernon's with her other hand.

As Bellatrix shouted, "Avada Kedavra!" and sent a death curse towards Harry, Ron flicked his wand and all six of them Disapparated out of the cottage and onto a beach.

They all dropped hands, Harry panting for breath. He looked around and saw only a single cottage in the distance. To his relief, Bellatrix was nowhere in sight, but Ron, Hermione, and the Dursleys were all catching their breath and like him, making sense of what happened.

It was weird, Harry thought, having Ron and Hermione, as well as the Dursleys, all in the same place. It was as though two different universes had come together, like he was living two different lives that had now merged. Then he realized, _they've never had anything to do with magic outside of Privet Drive. They've never faced a bad wizard._

Before he could think about it any more, Dudley had come up and flung his large arms around Harry's neck, patting him on the back.

"You saved me again, cousin," he whispered. Harry awkwardly hugged him back, unsure of what to say.


	4. Family Reunion

Ron and Hermione shifted in the sand, as if they didn't belong in the odd spectacle.

The Dursleys watched Dudley hugging Harry with what appeared to be disbelief with mixed with lingering shock from their torture by the Death Eaters.

"I don't deserve it, I know I don't," Dudley said as he released Harry at last, "I was such... a git... always."

Harry stared at him. After all this time, he still could not believe that Dudley had come to this epiphany. Yet beyond his shock and uncertainty, Harry felt an undeniable pleasure behind his cousin's apology and remorse, a strange yet genuinel positive feeling that he may have never felt before.

"Really, it's all right, Dudley," he said, smiling back at his large blond cousin, "You're family, and I'd never let you get hurt."

He could tell that Dudley truly felt terrible about his years of bullying, and despite his long resentment, Harry wanted nothing more than the negative feelings to go away.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Dudley all turned to Vernon and Petunia, who were taking in the scene without clear expressions or emotions.

Finally, Petunia stepped up to Harry, yet being careful not to get too close. She looked down at the sand cast dark by her thin shadow and said, "Thank you, Harry."

"You're... welcome," he replied. Harry found it weirder to hear it from Aunt Petunia than it had been from Dudley.

Then she dropped another bomb that knocked him off the earth.

"You truly are your mother's son," Petunia said with an air of humility that did not seem to match her.

For a moment, Harry thought he had died and was having a post mortem hallucination. But no, they were all there, Petunia having said something positive not only about him, but about her sister and Harry's mother.

"She was far braver than I could ever hope to be," Petunia said quietly, and to his horror, Harry sensed a crack in her voice, ready to let out seventeen years worth of unexpressed grief. "She'd be so proud, Harry."

Vernon looked no less shocked than Harry, his face that same old shade of purple.

"Now, see here, young Potter," he growled, stepping forward, "this is the last straw. We've took you in, risked our lives to give you clothes and food, and joe you've finally crossed the line. WE WERE NEARLY KILLED BY YOUR LOT, AND YOU THINK IT'LL ALL BE BYGONES?"

Harry stepped back, looking from Vernon, to Petunia, to his friends. Ron had picked up his wand, while Hermione simply stood on edge, watching Vernon warily.

"YOU'VE BEEN A BURDEN AND A DANGER TO OUT FAMILY, AND..."

"SHUT UP!" everyone gasped as Dudley thundered angrily at his father, having never spoken to him that way. "He saved all our lives, just like he saved me three years ago, and that's how you repay him! We've all treated him like crap, and we owe him our lives! Just shut your big fat mouth."

Vernon turned to his son, and clasped his chest in shock as though having a heart attack.

"I don't know what spell he's put on you Dudley, but..."

"Vernon, stop it!" Petunia snapped at him. "That's enough."

Vernon rounded on her, fist raised. He'd lost all reason, his rage and fear at an all time high. "Woman, if you think..."

"Don't you dare!" Harry yelled. He, Ron, and Hermione all had their wands pointed at Vernon now. "You touch her and you'll be turned into a steak and kidney pie!"

Vernon glowered with fury at his nephew, then slowly backed away as he recognized the threat.

"Mr. Dursley, I really think you should leave," Hermione said in a polite tone that masked menace, "It'll be best for all of us."

Vernon was about to retort, but the words died before they reached his mouth. He just let out a grunt.

"Get out of here now!" Ron snarled.

Petunia and Dudley watched him hustle along the beach and disappear out of sight over the nearby hill.

The five of them looked at each other uncertainly, unsure of what to do next. Harry, Hermione and Ron still had a quest to complete and a battle to win, while Petunia and Dudley remained in danger as long as Voldemort was hunting Harry.

None of them knew what would come next, but as they all walked slowly towards Shell Cottage, Harry had a good feeling that a new chapter in his life had already begun. One era of oppression had ended, and it was time to end another.

 **The End.**

I hope you all enjoyed my story. I know it was short, but I never meant for it to be an epic adventure, just an emphasis on the relationship between Harry and the Dursleys. My next story will also be a Harry Potter one, and much longer and more epic. Thank you and I'll see you at Kings Cross.


End file.
